Providing assistance, support and joy to those in need unconditionally…
True friendship is a testament of an enduring relationship between friends. A true friend can be defined as someone who offers undivided help and unconditional assistance to someone else – someone who is in dire straits and who is in critical need. Throughout our daily life, we often encounter occasional people who often perform good deeds beyond their call of duty – these are excellent examples of exemplary human-beings who would not give a second thought to helping others. Doing a greater good for a greater cause is often the underlying reason for one’s purpose in life. The true test friendship lies in overcoming hardships or difficulties, and also embracing adversity. A true friend is the one friend who always sticks with us through thick and thin – a friend who cares for our well-being and is also constantly concerned about our welfare. Prosperity makes friends and adversity tries them. Timeless motivational guru and success advocate, Napoleon Hill once exclaimed, “In every adversity lies the seed of an equal or greater opportunity.”
Pouring one’s heart out to a stranger
Different people handle grief differently. Some would shy away from friends and families, and isolate themselves from the world. Solitude can sometimes be the best remedy in times of loss. However, reclusiveness is often a stepping stone to depression. Nonetheless, speaking out helps in a big way that can get them to talk about their reservations, and subsequently pour out their hidden pent-up emotions. Listen with compassion without prior judgement – pep talks are the last thing a grieving person needs. Acknowledging and communicating your deepest feelings to others makes you associate or relate to their predicaments more easily. Try not to impose your thoughts and opinions too much – excessive lectures can be quite annoying and they could aggravate the grieving party’s even more. Always put yourself in their shoes – understand their circumstance and communicate your intentions clearly without bias or prejudice. In times of sorrow or sadness, we sometimes need a shoulder to cry on, even if it is a stranger’s.
Financial assistance and moral support
In an ideal friendship, friends support one another by any means possible and necessary. Financial considerations are often the primary contention in most friendships – money often makes or breaks relationships. When finances become an issue, relationships seldom last. Sustaining relationships depend critically on financial stability as well as emotional grit (will-power). Long-term relationships are commonly founded upon basic traits or qualities such as passion, affection, compromise, communication, reciprocity and sincerity. In all honesty, a key factor to any successful friendship has always been having strong moral support. Join a support group or network with friends who share similar conflicts or challenges as one does. Having shared interests also brings about positive changes that can elevate or spice up almost any relationship – be it political, platonic or passionate.
Redefining commitment and true happiness
In all relationships, the rule of thumb is always to reciprocate. When friends are on the same page, it makes them more receptive to the idea of sharing their joy and pain. As a traditional saying goes, “I help you, you help me.” How a friendship develops in any relationship is a mutual or shared responsibility of both parties. When intimacy becomes scorching or overly heated, denials and disruptions begin to rear their ugly heads. Unrealistic expectations between parties are often the root cause of breakdowns in most relationships. Sticking to one’s commitment should always take priority over secondary issues and trivial matters. Sometimes it is better to see the bigger picture than to make mountains out of molehills. The real essence of being humane is being able to commit as well as to compromise without fear or favour. Solidifying and strengthening relationships depend greatly upon how much passion and perseverance one puts into them. The sole effort of one individual without sufficient support from the other partner is destined or doomed to fail. Family also plays a fundamental role in relationships. A strong family supports the couple, during good times as well as bad days. The quest for happiness originates with the family. True happiness begins at home… – HFM
